Holidaymakers enjoying a day at one of Murcia’s busiest beaches watched as police and lifeguards rushed to cordon off a suspicious package that had washed ashore. Rumours spread quickly. Many feared it was drugs. The truth turned out to be something nobody expected. Sunbathers were relaxing under umbrellas, children were splashing in the sea and families were making the most of another hot summer’s day when the atmosphere suddenly changed.

A large, unidentified package had washed up on the shoreline at La Manga del Mar Menor, close to the boundary between the municipalities of Cartagena and San Javier. Within minutes, word spread along the packed beach that something suspicious had been found. As beachgoers looked on, Policía Local officers arrived to secure the area while lifeguards raced across the sand on a quad bike to recover the mysterious object. Hundreds of people watched the operation unfold, many convinced they were witnessing the discovery of another drug package washed in from the Mediterranean. 

Why everyone thought it was drugs

It wasn’t simply idle speculation, this stretch of Murcia’s coastline has previously seen waterproof packages containing cocaine and hashish wash ashore after allegedly falling from the high-powered speedboats used by drug traffickers.

Only days earlier, reports emerged of a suspicious vessel stopping at a Cartagena beach to refuel, with those on board reportedly covering their faces while transferring fuel cans. Against that backdrop, the appearance of a large wrapped package immediately raised alarm bells among those on the beach.  As officers secured the scene, many assumed the Guardia Civil would take over the investigation, with any suspected narcotics destined for laboratory testing.

The twist nobody saw coming

With police, lifeguards and curious onlookers gathered around, anticipation continued to build. But when the package was finally examined, the dramatic mystery came to an abrupt, and rather unexpected, end.

Instead of cocaine, hashish or any other illegal substance, the suspicious package turned out to be nothing more than a bale of straw. The discovery left many beachgoers surprised, transforming what had looked like the start of a major police operation into an unusual story that quickly spread across social media.

How does a bale of straw end up on a beach?

As strange as it sounds, officials say it’s not unheard of, bales of straw can accidentally fall from livestock transport vessels travelling along the Spanish coast. Carried by currents and waves, they may drift for miles before eventually washing up on beaches.

Although harmless compared with the sinister theories circulating among holidaymakers, they still need to be removed because they can become an environmental nuisance and pose a hazard in the marine environment. Lifeguards promptly removed the bale from the beach, allowing normality to return within a short time. 

A reminder of Murcia’s battle against drug trafficking

While this particular discovery proved entirely innocent, it’s understood why beachgoers were so quick to suspect something more serious. Spain’s Mediterranean coastline has become an increasingly important route for organised drug trafficking, with packages of narcotics occasionally washing ashore after being lost at sea or discarded during smuggling operations.

Incidents like these mean that whenever an unidentified package appears on a busy beach, authorities are obliged to treat it seriously until its contents can be confirmed. In this case, caution proved to be the right approach, even if the ending was far less dramatic than anyone imagined.

For the families enjoying a summer day in La Manga, it was certainly a beach trip they won’t forget in a hurry. One moment they were watching waves roll onto the shore. The next, they were witnessing a police response to a mystery package that had everyone fearing the worst. Thankfully, this time, the only thing washing up on the sand was straw, not a major drugs haul.

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By Lottie Verrier • Updated: 20 Jul 2026 • 22:46 • 1 minute read

Celebrating five years of Galería Baró Credit: Instagram/GaleriaBaro

Spain’s winning of the World Cup was not the only jackpot to happen on Sunday evening. For two lucky ONCE coupon sellers Sunday’s Weekend Coupon draw handed out huge cash prizes in Fuengirola and Huelva just hours after the national team’s victory.

Fuengirola seller too busy for the final whistle

A ONCE vendor in Fuengirola sold a winning coupon worth €1.5 million, only to spend the closing minutes of the World Cup final answering congratulatory phone calls rather than watching Spain lift the trophy. Manuel González, who has sold ONCE coupons since December, awarded a top prize of €300,000 in cash plus €5,000 a month for 20 years on Avenida Santa Amalia, close to Fuengirola’s Central Mosque. Sixteen further winning coupons each brought in €20,000, pushing the total windfall for the town to €1,820,000.

“Calls started coming in while Spain were winning, and I couldn’t watch the match anymore,” Gonzalez said. Missing those final minutes clearly didn’t bother him. “You start working for ONCE because you want to give out a prize, and when that day finally comes, it feels strange, like it happened to you too, even though it didn’t,” he explained.

Gonzalez’s path to selling lottery coupons wasn’t a conventional one. Flamenco singing was his career before a heart condition forced a change of direction. “ONCE turned my life around completely,” he said. “Dealing with people is what I love most, and now I get to do that while giving out prizes too.”

Huelva beachgoers celebrate double win

Pedro Soler, a seller on La Antilla beach in Huelva for the past two years, also brought good news on Cup final day. His coupon sale earned a winner €2,000 a month for 10 years. Crowds packed the promenade on Sunday, buzzing with anticipation ahead of Spain’s win later that evening, Soler described the day as a double celebration, Spain’s triumph and the prize money he’d just paid out. “I’m delighted for whoever won,” he said. “It’s like scoring another World Cup goal.”

How the ONCE Weekend Sueldazo works

ONCE’s Weekend Sueldazo runs every Saturday and Sunday, offering a top prize of €300,000 plus €5,000 monthly for 20 years to one winning coupon. Four additional coupons each win €2,000 a month for 10 years. Sales come with strict safeguards attached. Coupons cannot be sold to minors or bought on credit, and ONCE follows responsible gambling guidelines set by the World Lottery Association and the European Lotteries Association.

More than 21,300 sellers offer ONCE coupons across Spain, with additional sales available through juegosonce.es and authorised retail partners.

You have to be in it to win it